Overview

• The City Council vote on the snap curfew ordinance has been postponed to June after procedural maneuvers by aldermen opposing the measure.
• The ordinance, approved by the Public Safety Committee in a 10-7 vote, would allow the police superintendent to declare three-hour curfews with 30 minutes’ notice for large gatherings of unaccompanied teens.
• Ald. Brian Hopkins revised the proposal to give the police superintendent sole authority, removing a prior requirement for joint approval with the deputy mayor for community safety.
• Mayor Brandon Johnson has expressed concerns about the ordinance’s constitutionality and effectiveness, advocating for youth programs and safe spaces instead of stricter curfews.
• Civil rights groups, including the ACLU of Illinois, warn the ordinance could violate First Amendment rights and disproportionately affect Black and Latino youth.